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Tech Tip: Transition Area Set Up

Getting ready for your next tri will be a lot easier with just a little pre-planning.

Getting your gear set up before a race can be a stressful experience – especially as our sport becomes more popular and transition areas become more and more crowded. Getting ready for your next tri will be a lot easier with just a little bit of pre-planning. Make sure you get to the race with lots of time to get registered and set up – give yourself at least an hour before your race to make sure you’re ready.

Seat or handlebars: Placing your bike on the rack using your brakes as an anchor is always the most stable solution, but won’t be an option in a crowded transition area. If you need to, rack your bike using the nose of the saddle for a bit more stability.

Transition Mat: Sure, you can use a towel next to your bike to place your equipment on, but the T-Mat Pro offers a deluxe, padded mat that’s easily wiped off and rolled up after the race.

Cycling Shoes: We set up our Shimano SH-TR51 tri shoe at the front of the mat for easy access. If your after a podium spot, you’ll want clip your shoes onto your pedals for an even quicker time out. Make sure to practice that transition, though – it can be tricky to ride your bike and get into your shoes at the same time, especially with lots of athletes getting onto their bikes at the same time.

Helmet and sunglasses: We put our flashy Ryders Flange sunglasses inside our aerodymanic Rudy Project Wing Span helmet in order to keep things moving as we come in from the swim.

Number Belt: Using the Zoot number belt, you’ll be able to spin your race number from the back (where it’s required during the ride) to the front (for the run) easily. In Europe you’ll be disqualified if you wear your race number during the swim, a rule that’s gradually being adopted at more events in North America to prevent numbers from disintegrating through the race.

Nutrition: If you’re going to carry your Gu gels in your back pocket, leave them in on your transition mat so you can quickly grab them on your way out to the bike course.

Visor: By leaving our Zoot visor on our running shoes, we’re sure we won’t forget to grab it on our way out for the final leg of the race.